WPP CEO Mark Read said he intended to bolster his creative resources – admittedly focussing more on the US – and he’s done so in the UK with the appointment of joint AMV BBDO CCO Adrian Rossi as Grey’s new creative chairman.
For Omnicom’s AMV BBDO it’s another blow as long-serving group boss Cilla Snowball has already announced she’s stepping down. This presumably leaves Rossi’s long-term partner Alex Grieve as AMV CCO (both below, Rossi on right). Grey creative leader Vicki Mcguire is staying on, reporting to Rossi.
Grey has been in a muddle following a number of senior departures, notably high profile UK CCO Nils Leonard who went off to start his own business, Uncommon, with two colleagues Natalie Graeme and Lucy Jameson. McGuire’s former partner Caroline Pay also left.
Not so long ago Grey UK under David Patton, Chris Hirst and Leonard was a shining creative light in the WPP fold but it’s tumbled somewhat as they moved on.
“Creative chairman” is a relatively new one in UK adland although Droga5 founder David Droga sails under that flag in New York. It’s a sign of WPP/Grey’s clear intent on forging a higher creative profile.
